Caster



(No ModeL) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. S. C. MENDENHALL.

EASTER.

N0. 314,96'7. Patented Mar. 31, 1885.

IAIII j zw 7770 N. PETERS, Phcm-Lnhonmpmr, Washmglom 0.6.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

S. G. MENDENI-IALL.

' CASTER.

Np. 314,967. Patented Mar. 31, 1885.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN O. MENDENHALL, OF RICHMOND, INDIANA.

CASTER.

SPECIFICATIQN part of Letters Patent No. 314,967, dated lifiarch 31, 1885.

Application filed February 14, 1855. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, STEPHEN O. MENDEN- HALL. a citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the county of NVayne and State of Indiana, (present business address Cincinnati, Ohio,) have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Casters, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in anti-friction devices interposed between the housingor saddle and the furnitureplate of a caster, and also between the floorwheel and its axle.

In carrying out my invention I support a vertical anti-friction roller upon an axle in the housing immediately over the axle of the floor wheel or roller. v As a roller at'this point will lift the furnitureplate somewhat, I avoid weakening the spindle by providing the furniture-plate with a downwardly projecting neck within which the spindle is seated. Sufficient lateral bearing for its spindle being thus obtained, it is seen that the invention is readily applicable to plate-casters.

The improvements in the floor wheel or r0ller are applicable whether the main body of said roller is made of wood or glass. In carrying out this portion of my invention I provide two series of fiatanti-friction rollers, one at each end of the bearing of the floor-wheel axle in the floor-wheel. These series of rollers are held each in its separate box, which may be fixed together before being forced into a recess provided therefor in the side of the roller; or, instead of forcing them directly into the body of the roller, I may provide a tubular bearing therefor, which in its turn may come directly in contact with the body of the roller, or may be separated therefrom by a rubber cushion, as hereinafter described. In order that the invention may be better understood, I will proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- 7 Figure I is a side elevation of my improved caster. Fig. II is a vertical section thereof. Fig. III is a rear elevation of the same. Fig. IV is a vertical section on the line IV IV, Fig. I. Fig. V is a view in perspective of the parts of one of the anti-friction boxes for the floor-whee]. Fig. VI is a transverse section of the same when put together for use. Fig. VII

1 is a side elevation of a roller of wood or glass prepared for the insertion of my improved anti-friction bushing. section of the same. Fig. IX is a similar View showing the same roller with my improved bushing forced into it. Figs. X to XIV, inclusive, are similar sections of various modifications of the bushing, which will be more explained in detail hereinafter. Fig. XV rep resents the improved roller having a floor-surface of the preferred form for skates.

l is the furniture-plate having downwardlyprojecting neck 2, surrounding the vertical spindle 3 of the caster, the spindle being held fronrfalling out by washer 4 and screw'or rivet 5, in customary manner. The spindle 3 is formed integrally with or rigidly fixed to the housing or saddle 6, which has horns 7 surrounding the floor-wheel 8, and supported on axle 9 thereof. Immediately above said axle 9 the housing 6 is provided with two vertical cars, 10, in which bears the fast or loose axlepin 11 of a single vertical anti-friction roller, 12, upon which rests the furniture-plate 1.

The floor wheel or roller is prepared of wood or metal in either the form shown in Fig. VIII or in Fig. XI. In Fig. VIII it is provided with a small axial opening, 13, which is enlarged at each end 14:, to provide seats for the anti-friction bushing. In this form a central web,15, is left in the roller. In the form shown in Fig. XI and three subsequent figures the web 15 is also removed, a large cylindrical opening being formed completely through the roller.

In Fig. X is shown the simplest form of the anti-friction bushing adapted to a roller such as shown in Fig. VIII. In this form each side of the roller is provided with a cup-shaped piece of metal, 16, which maybe pressed into the roller with sufficieut force to make the sharpened inner end, 17, penetrate the body of the wood, and so retain the cup in position. An annular series of loose flat anti-friction rollers, 18, are retained within the roller by said cup and bear vertically against the axle 9 and the sides of said cup, and horizontally against the walls of the cup and body of the roller. Fig. IX, however, shows this form of the invention more fully developed, the boxes for the anti-friction rollers being here formed of two cups, 16 and 19, between which the roll- Fig. VIII is an axial g ers are placed, as shown in Fig. V, and the ,ribs, 21, against which the anti-friction boxes abut to keep them sufficiently apart. When this form of the bushing is in position, as shown in Fig. XI, the ends of the tube 20 are turned over, as shown in Fig. XII, to hold the bushing within the roller. The anti-friction boxes may be retained in the tube 20 by simply being pressed in with considerable force, or they may be fixed in any desired manner.

Fig. XIII represents a bushing similar to that shown in Figs. XI and XII, with the addition, however, of a tubular cushion, 22, of rubber placed around the tube 20, to take up shocks upon the roller, and thus prevent injury thereto as well as to the article or person supported thereon. Fig. XIV represents this idea developed by the depression of the 1ube20 at the portion intermediate of the two anti-friction boxes and the insertion of the rubber cushion in such depression.

It will be seen that the forms of roller shown in Figs. XIII and XIV are especially adapted to casters in which the main body of the roller is made of glass.

Having thus described my invention,the following is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In combination with a floor wheel or roller, a housing and spindle supported thereon,

tained by friction of its sides on the said seats,

and two annular series of vertical rollers arranged within said cups and having bearing vertically against their sides or rims, substan- W tially as set forth.

3. The anti-frictionbox comprising an annular series of loose anti-friction rollers and two metallic cups or boxes telescoped together to retain said rollers between them, as set forth.

4. In combination with afioor wheel or roller and a metallic tube inserted therein, one or more anti-friction boxes forced into said tube, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In combination with the floor-wheel 8, the tube 20, having ribs 21, and anti-friction boxes at each end and abutting on said ribs, substantially as set forth.

6. In combination with a floor wheel or roller and anti-friction boxes on each side thereof, a metallic tube in which said anti-friction boxes are forced and a soft-rubber or other cushion placed between said tube and the body 'of the roller, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

STEPHEN O. MENDENHALL.

Witnesses:

HARRY E. KNIGHT, EDWARD STEER. 

